Star Crossed
Star Crossed is the thirty-fourth episode of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. It first aired on November 9, 2000, and is the forty-second episode in production. Synopsis Zurg hires the bounty hunter Romac to retrieve 57 before the defected brain pod reaches Star Command. However, while Team Ligthyear attempts to protect 57 and fails, it turns out that Romac is Mira's ex-boyfriend. To add insult to injury, Romac manages to capture Buzz Lightyear too. Even though Mira and Romac still have feelings for each other, Romac's personal code of honor of never quitting a job before it is finished prevents them from properly reconciling. Romac delivers 57 and Buzz to Zurg, only to be hired by 57 immediately afterwards to rescue them. Romac gladly agrees and they attempt to flee, where they are met with the rest of Team Lightyear. They manage to escape, but Romac stays behind as a diversion, satisfied that Mira, at least, is safe. But it isn't the end of Romac. He manages to escape from Zurg's clutches without a scratch and promises to win Mira back someday while gaining a new sidekick in 57. Plot The episode starts on Planet Z with a grub fretting about how to tell Zurg about Brain Pod 57 defecting to Star Command. When Zurg finds out he panics and asks for Shiv Katall. The grub tentatively reminds Zurg that Shiv Katall was Buzz Lightyear in disguise, and after almost being squeezed to death by a furious Zurg reminding it to never mention Shiv Katall to him again, the grub suggests a promising new bounty hunter rumoured to be better than Shiv Katall instead. Tossing the grub aside, Zurg demands that the bounty hunter be brought to him. Zurg meets with the bounty hunter at one of his launch bays, who arrives in a small personal shuttle. A grub reveals his name to be Romac, and Zurg comments on the name sounding Volturan before discovering that he is a Tangean Grounder. Upon hearing this, Zurg protests that he doesn't speak the language, and the grub with him offers to use its portable translator to attempt communication. Romac emerges from his ship at that point, dressed in blue leathers and a helmet obscuring his face. Zurg is hardly impressed, commenting on his tacky outfit, his primitive and barbaric origins, and even wondering if he bathes. The grub greets him, but Romac remains silent. Annoyed that he doesn't appear to even understand his own language, Zurg instructs the grub to tell him that he has a job for him. The grub attempts communication once more, but Romac replies in flawless Basic to "skip the boom-booms" as he fires a mental pulse at the grub before asking about the job. Unperturbed, Zurg tells him he'll pay him three million unibucks for his services. Grabbing Zurg's fingers in a tight grip, Romac responds that he'll do it for ten in advance. Zurg concedes without protest because of time constraints and summons the grub forward with a briefcase filled with crisp money rolls. He instructs Romac to "go fetch" 57 and Romac promises to do so, saying, "I never quit a job 'til it's finished. Never." Under cover on Tradeworld in a seedy love-themed hotel, Buzz reviews his team's tasks in protecting the defected 57. Mira has already checked the hotel's perimeters, Booster has set up computer surveillance on all exits and entrances, but XR protests at there being no mints on the pillows, a broken ice machine, and the cable being out. 57 finds the opportunity to protest at sitting around in a hotel room and suggests they leave immediately, but Buzz stops him and reminds him that by now Zurg has hired someone to locate him. He has Mira and XR take the first watch, with him and Booster to relieve them at midnight before they set off at six in the morning to deliver 57 to a Star Command debriefing unit. Before leaving, he reminds him that no phone calls or loud noises are allowed and they are not to leave the room. 57 wonders sarcastically at this being freedom. Mira's first encounter with trouble is a delivery boy from Pizza Planet. It turns out that 57 had ordered pizza because they never had the chance to eat pizza on Planet Z and takes delight at the anchovies as he samples a bite and even licks his "lips" afterwards. Mira is about to scold him but is interrupted by the pizza boy who asks for eight unibucks for the pizza. Though put off at first, Mira pays by swiping her card through the boy's card reader and sends him off before turning on 57 and reminding them that this is a covert operation and that they shouldn't be attracting attention. But XR too has vanished, and it turns out that he's been telling high tales to a cleaning maid in the corridor who bids him farewell with a wave and a, "Goodbye, Commander," as Mira tows XR away. Back in the room, Mira reminds them that they have to stay low and that anyone could be a Zurg agent. XR comments that even she could be an agent, eyeing her suspiciously. Sighing, Mira tells them she'll check things outside and that they better stay in the room. However, when Mira returns, no one is there. She sets out to find them, ghosting from room to room, much to the embarrassment of the occupants and herself. She finally finds them in a lone room on the top floor with two alien girls, dancing away without a care in the world. Mira switches off the radio, greatly displeased at this turn of events, and both 57 and XR try to convince her that it's not how it looks. The green-skinned female agrees, commenting on how they're not Zurg operatives and saying that they boys wouldn't dance with them if they said they were. Rolling her eyes, Mira just tells XR to check the hallway. 57 quips at how she ought to loosen up a bit, but she replies that if things were any looser he'd be halfway back to Planet Z by now. The roar of an engine interrupts her, however, and she tells him to sit tight while she investigates. Ghosting the upper half of her body through the wall, she looks around, but sees nothing amiss. However, Romac is hovering above the hotel on a bike, so when Mira attempts to ghost back inside she gets stuck, just as Romac sends a mind pulse that sputters and dies out before it is even formed. He resorts to using a plasma gun instead, and causes a part of the ceiling to collapse upon 57 and the girls, who run away screaming. 57 is frozen in terror as Romac touches down and uses a mechanism on his bike to latch on to the hapless Brain Pod. He lifts off and only once he is far away enough does Mira manage to free herself. XR returns, commenting on the chaos left behind: a destroyed room, and no 57 in sight. Later on joined by Buzz and Booster, they examine the scene of the crime where Mira apologizes yet again for her folly. XR comments on how he warned her not to trust anyone, and Mira defends that whoever took 57 must be a Tangean Grounder for her powers to have failed her because Royals and Grounders cancel each other out when in close proximity. Booster's scanner picks up Romac's ion trail and they take the skies to find him. The rangers locate him and start closing in on him. 57 warns that Romac should just give up up seeing as the rangers are gaining, but Romac only quips that there's a big difference between "gaining and catching". He uses a mind pulse to snap off the peak of a building so it can block their way. Mira and Buzz fly over it, but Booster and XR crash through it. Sure that it's a Tangean Grounder now, Mira and Buzz concentrate on closing in on him as Booster and XR rejoin them. Romac flees through a tunnel and fires another mind pulse at the ceiling, before skidding to a stop out of the tunnel and setting off again in another direction. The rangers plough through the rubble, but only Buzz manages to follow Romac through another stream of traffic. He flies through a bus, but Buzz is still hot on his trail, and the others soon join him. They can't get close to Romac when he keeps blowing everything up. Even 57 comments on this and asks him whether he'd like a partner in crime instead of Romac returning him to Zurg. Romac only replies curtly with the same motto again--that never quits a job until it's finished. Buzz and Booster try to go around while Mira and XR keep following Romac. He pulls out a plasma gun from a compartment in his bike and fires behind him, but accidentally fires a shot ahead, as well. A child who was walking along the side-walk above trips and falls, but Romac swoops in to save him and sets him down safe and sound. But Mira and XR are buried beneath the rubble; safe, but stuck. Not able to break loose, Mira realizes that Romac is close, and indeed he is, with a gun trained upon them. But upon seeing Mira for the first time he falters, recognizing her. XR reminds him about Mira being a princess and that he'll get into a load of trouble with her father, King Nova. Romac replies that it wouldn't be the first time, revealing his face to them. Mira is startled, recognizing him, and hesitantly explains to a surprised XR that Romac is her ex-boyfriend. "Once upon a time," Romac agrees, but as they exchange looks it's obvious something's still there. 57 reminds Romac that Buzz and Booster will be there any second and Mira warns him that he's on the wrong side and should give up, but Romac gets back onto his bike and reminds her that he never quits a job before it's finished. Booster touches down to help XR and Mira while Buzz pursues Romac; Booster confused about Mira making a comment that her ex is working for Zurg. Mira then explains how she and Romac met. When she was younger, around fifteen, she had sneaked out of the palace to explore Tangea's surface, amazed at all its natural fauna and flora. While exploring, she chanced upon two young Grounders having an argument and using mind pulses. But one of the female's mind pulses broke Mira's scooter, which alerted them to her presence. But before anything could happen Romac made the scene, frightening the other Grounders away. He assured her that he meant no harm, and when their gazes met it was love at first sight. Both young and awkward, but clearly attracted to one another, Romac offered to take Mira back to the palace but she refused, wanting to see more of his world. And their relationship blossomed from that point onwards; they would see each other whenever they could, day or night. But when Mira's father found out about the relationship it was abruptly cut off. Commoners, especially Grounders, wouldn't do. By the end of the story, Booster is in tears. XR, however, can't believe that Mira didn't argue back at King Nova when she always defied him. She confesses that she was young and that her father had only been trying to protect her, but that she is perfectly capable of protecting herself now. Buzz catches up to Romac by now and orders him to surrender and hand over 57. But Romac won't give up without a fight. He fires another mind pulse at the ranger, but Buzz dodges it, haughtily saying that he had predicted that move. However, 57 tosses a net on Buzz, trapping him, before using a sleeping gas on him causing him to collapse in a dead faint. 57 hopes that now, Romac won't hand him over to Zurg and he'll consider taking him on as a sidekick. However, things aren't over yet. A missile explodes nearby them, and it turns out to be a "mobile monitor" Zurg sent himself, to see whether Romac has captured 57. He is pleased to see that he has also subdued Buzz Lightyear and prepares to welcome both foes upon Romac's return. Meanwhile, the rest of Team Lightyear is uneasy at the situation. Booster suggests that Romac really is bad, whereas Mira is convinced that all she has to do is talk to him. Right on cue, Romac contacts them and asks to meet Mira in "the usual place". Mira goes into a trance, and they form a mental link together, where they meet in common ground in their minds, a place where they can come into contact with each other no matter the distance. It is a lush, scenic place in imitation of Tangean flora and fauna, and Mira is dressed in her usual princess attire, admitting that this place brings her memories and that she's missed him. Romac admits to the same and they share a meaningful kiss. But Mira breaks off the kiss, saying that it's wrong when Romac works for Zurg. Romac retaliates, demanding whether her father approved of her joining Star Command. She hesitantly admits that she defied him and Romac wonders bitterly why she couldn't do the same for him. Mira splutters, repeating the fact that he works for Zurg and Romac shrugs it off by saying he'll just work for someone else tomorrow. Both frustrated and disappointed, they realize that the next time they meet will be as enemies and they break off the mindlink. Not even XR's light-hearted teasing helps Mira's mood. Romac himself isn't pleased at the turn of events and he resorts to banging his head against Buzz's suspended animation chamber in his frustration. 57 reminds Romac that he knows enough about Mira to know that she'll never forgive the Grounder if he hands him and Buzz over to Zurg. But Romac is stubbornly adamant about not quitting his job before it's finished, despite how much it's tearing him apart. 57 contemplates the matter, but says nothing more on it. Zurg is ecstatic at getting both 57 and Buzz at the price of one. In chains, 57 asks Romac whether his job is finally completed. Romac says it is, to which 57 gleefully replies that he'll hire him for his and Buzz's safe passage out of Zurg's clutches for one unibuck. Romac leaps at the opportunity and agrees, freeing 57 and Buzz while Zurg splutters in rage at the ridiculous price and at being double-crossed. Buzz regains consciousness at that point and is surprised that Romac has double-crossed Zurg. Together, the three flee as Zurg sends his Hornets after them. Buzz destroys several of them along the way and they go to Launch Bay 2 where Romac's parked his ship. Buzz is momentarily confused at the ship's name being the Mira, but 57 quips that they'll explain later--only there is no later as one of Zurg's grubs fires at the ship with a defense turret, their only means of escape. Romac is aggrieved, but he looks for one of Zurg's ships while Buzz handles the grub's cannon. 57 and Romac flee to Launch Bay 1, where 57 says there's always an unguarded cruiser lying around. But that isn't the case this time as Beetles bar their way. Romac confidently starts up a mind pulse, but it only simmers and he realizes that Mira and the others are nearby. Booster grabs 57, thinking that he's saving him, and Mira sets her laser to stun, firing at Romac. XR crashes 42 through the launch bay, destroying part of the wall, and Mira tells Booster to find Buzz, saying that she'll meet them back at the ship. The Beetles surround Romac, who is still prone and weakened by the stun laser, but Mira destroys them and grabs Romac before flying into the air. He asks what took her so long and jokingly mentions that she must have heard about his "good guy discount". Grinning, Mira asks him why he switched sides, to which he replies with, "Take a wild guess," as they embrace in mid-air where they share a quick, but lingering kiss. Even Buzz notices and salutes them with a grin before entering 42, where Booster, XR and 57 are already safe and sound. But their joy is short-lived. Mira and Romac fly into 42, but before she can secure the hatch, Zurg reaches them, ordering his horde of Hornets and Beetles to attack 42. Realizing that there is only one way out, Romac embraces Mira from behind, kisses her cheek, and bids her farewell as he takes her jet pack and flies back out in order to distract Zurg and his forces. 42 sets off and escapes through the hole while Romac uses his mind pulse to destroy several Hornets. Zurg orders his forces to ignore 42 and focus on Romac, and Romac is shot down and surrounded, Beetles training their plasma cannons on him. Zurg cackles, telling Romac that he can't win. But Romac merely smiles, saying he's already won since Mira's safe and sound as he prepares another mind pulse. Back at 42, Mira attempts to mindlink with Romac again, but he is nowhere in sight. Buzz brings her out of the trance, but Mira only manages to say that he's gone before there's a sudden tremor and a whoosh as 57 jacks an escape pod. XR reveals a CD the brain pod left behind, and 57 reveals that Romac managed to escape from Zurg without a scratch and that the pod will become his new sidekick. Romac also has a message for Mira. Though he knows they're both different and have changed over the years, he promises to win her back. After all, he never quits a job until it's finished. "Never." Characters *Romac *Brain Pod 57 Quotes *"I never quit a job 'til it's finished. Never." -- Romac's motto *"Note to self: learn to mindlink." -- XR upon seeing Mira in a mindlink *"B-B-But you work for Zurg! "Today. Tomorrow I'll work for someone else who pays in cash." "And tomorrow I'll still be a space ranger." "Then the next time we meet..." "...It'll be as enemies." --An exchange between Mira and Romac during their mindlink. Trivia *The green-skinned alien girl has been seen before in Tag Team, tending to Warp Darkmatter. *The small boy Romac saves appears again in Holiday Time. *A younger version of Marl appears in this episode arguing with a female Grounder while Mira recounts how she and Romac met. Voice Actors *Patrick Warburton as Buzz Lightyear *Stephen Furst as Booster *Nicole Sullivan as Mira Nova *Jeremy Piven as Brain Pod #57 *Frank Welker as Grubs *John Kassir as Marl *Wayne Knight as Zurg *Grey DeLisle as Alien Beauty and Alien Maid *Neil Flynn as XR *David James Elliot as Romac Production Details Executive Producers: Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley, Tad Stones Director: Victor Cook Story Editor: Kevin Hopps Written By: Greg Weisman Voice Casting and Dialogue Director: Jamie Thomason Storyboard: Denise Koyama, Carin-Anne Greco, David Bullock Timing Directors: Burt Medall, Dale Case Sheet Timing: Dale Case, Burt Medall, John Ahern Supervising Character Design: Greg Guler Character Design: Dana Landsberg Additional Character Design: Kenny Thompkins Key Location Design: Simon Rodgers, Latchezar Gouchev, Teresa Wellins Prop Design: Chuck Puntuvatana, Tom Foxmarnick Lead Background Paint: Donna Prince Key Background Stylist: Tom Cain Color Key Stylist: Sharon Scott Storyboard Revisions: Alan Wright Additional Storyboard By: Lonnie Lloyd, David Prince Continuity Coordinator: Jungja Kim-Wolf Associate Producer: Natasha Kopp Creative Consultant from Pixar: Jeff Pidgeon Digital Color Correction: Donald Devine, Adam Chase, Christopher Staples Scanner: Adam Chase CGI Main Title: Pixar Animation Studios Music By: Adam Berry Main Title Theme By: Adam Berry Animation Production By: Hanna Animation Co., Ltd. Director: Young-Sang Yoon Backgrounds: Young-Ku Kim, Woo-Sang Yun Camera: Chul-Kyu Lim Animators: Jung-Tak Kim, Eun-Young Byun, Kuen-Sik Song, Sung-Chui Lee, Jung-Hee Jung, Ae-Kyoung Choi Supervising Film Editor: John Royer First Assistant Film Editor: Jennifer Harrison Pre-Production Dialogue Editor: Monte Bramer Track Reading: Skip Craig Post Production Manager: Steven J. Arenas Post Production Supervisor: Rachel Pusateri Audio Supervisor: Victor Garcia Post Production Coordinator: Mark Allen Bollinger Sound Design: Paca Thomas Dialogue Editor: Robbi Smith Music Editor: Marc S. Perlman ( M.P.S.E.) Foley: Phyllis Ginter, Kris Daly Digital Audio Transfer: J. Lampinen Re-Recording Mixers: James, C. Hodson (C.A.S), Melissa Ellis, Fil Brown, Ray Leonard, Michael Beiriger Supervising Music Editor: Dominick Certo On-Line Editor: Keith Cook Production Coordinators: Chris Versage, John Paul Catapano Script Coordinator: Dawn T. Connors Production Associate: Carin Cobrae Production Secretaries: Linda DeLizza, Jessica Farley Talent Coordinator: David H. Wright III Production Accountant: Ron J. Earhart Produced By: Walt Disney Television Animation Category:Episodes